Disclaimer: Don't own DBZ etc., but I'm not singing the blues!
(Please excuse the lame attempt at humor)
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Chapter 3: A Favor
*
"Bra!"
The joyful exclamation was the only warning the blue-haired girl got before she was swept into the man's arms. However, she merely smiled warmly at her captor who quickly pecked her on the cheek.
"It's nice to see you too," she chided him, hints of laughter tingeing her voice.
"So how's my favorite sister?" Trunks asked warmly as he got into the seat across from her, a bright grin on his face.
Bra returned the smile and murmured she was great. As she took a sip of her tea, she glanced at him through half-lidded eyes. Something was up. The effusive welcome, her being his 'favorite sister' even though she was really his only sister, the invite to lunch at the quaint bistro where they were at now. It was a nice place really, nice stone floors and stylish simple tables. However nice it was though, to eat lunch with her big brother here, it was quite out of the blue. Oh yes, her brother definitely wanted something.
"So Trunks, why'd you invite me here?"
So subtlety had never been her strong point. She had to smile rather feline-like when the man in question immediately became flustered. Bingo.
"What makes you think I want something?" he asked nervously. Oh sure, her brother was as suave and debonair as Don Juan with girls, but with blue- haired women that shared genes with him - he didn't have a prayer. Although, Bra mused, the Son women also seemed to be able to rattle Trunks. Especially ChiChi or Pan.
"Probably because you do," she answered coolly. The purple-haired man sighed, fiddling with his napkin.
"Okay, I do kinda want to ask you a favor," he rushed. "Well, it's more like for the family." Bra raised an eyebrow.
"For the family," she repeated. "Oh Dende Trunks, please tell me you didn't forget Mom's birthday again, because this time-"
"No!" he quickly interrupted. "I actually remembered this time." He paused, briefly considering how bad that sounded. He quickly changed tactics. "Do you have plans tonight?"
"Um, no. Tenshi has to work late tonight," Bra replied without taking her eyes off him. What was this all about?
"Oh, and how are you and Tenshi doing?" So innocent, her brother.
"We're doing fine, just like we've been doing for the last three years. And you're trying to avoid the subject - what favor?" Trunks sighed, resigning to the inevitable.
"I was wondering if you could, well would, go to the Fiery Pit."
"The fiery pit? Wow, that sounds appealing."
"It's a nightclub." Bra frowned.
"Let me get this straight, you want me to go to a nightclub? May I ask why?" Trunks closed his eyes.
"It's Goten's latest regular hangout."
The bluette froze. Goten? When was the last time she had seen him? It was hard to put her finger on a specific time - actually, it must've been her 16th birthday, two years ago. She still remembered gasping when she'd caught a glimpse of the metal sticking out of his eyebrow. Vaguely she had wondered how he had managed to pierce his half-Saiyan hide in the first place, but she had then got caught in his abyss eyes when he turned.
He had changed from the sweet goofball she had gotten to know when Trunks, Pan, and Goku were in space. And not in a good way. The happiness, that spark of irrepressible life that had lived in Goku and his eyes - it was gone and only blank emptiness remained.
*
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*"Goten, nice to see you." Her voice was tight with nervousness and her eyes flicked around to avoid his deadened gaze.
"I'm sure," his voice was silky with sarcasm. "Though I must admit it's more than a pleasure to see you all grown up."
Startled, her gaze jumped to his face. She had to shiver. The blackness of his eyes . . . it threatened to swallow her whole. His smirk curled into something more predatory and the dangerous glint in his eyes shone brighter. He took a step toward her and casually brushed a blue bang from her face. Her eyes widened, a deer-in-headlights look springing onto her face. Her breath caught.
"Goten!" The distant voice of her brother shattered the moment and just like that Goten was out of her personal space and moving away.
She took a deep breath, just realizing she had been denying herself air. Her heartbeat, loud and rapid, beat in her ears.
"Nice to see you too," his mocking voice floated from over his departing shoulder.*
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*
She had to suppress a shiver. Goten was definitely not at the top of her list of people she wanted to see. In fact, he was probably at the bottom.
"Please Bra," Trunks immediately began pleading. "He's been doing badly for a few years now-"
"Trunks! He's a grown man, he can look after himself." Her brother shook his lavender locks negatively.
"He's becoming self-destructive Bra. He won't listen to any of us anymore, not even Pan." The sheer desperation finally caused Bra to examine him.
"You're really worried, aren't you?"
"We all are, Mom, ChiChi, Videl, Krillian, Pan, even Dad has asked 'what is Kakarrot's blasted second brat up to?' Pan's becoming a basket case she's so worried."
"But what do you expect me to do? Pan's his niece for goodness sake!" Bra asked uneasily, running a hand through her hair.
"I just want you to try talking to him. You're the only one of us who's somewhat detached from his, well, issues with Goku. He might listen to you."
"Trun-"
"Please Bra, just try. I'm not asking for a miracle." It was the closest Trunks had ever come to begging his sister.
There was silence. She regarded her brother, considering. It really was horrible what Goten was doing to himself and she had to admit, she had missed him during these past few years. Before then, he had been like a second brother to her and then he had just - vanished.
"I'll go, but no promises," she added quickly. Trunks' taut face relaxed, his grin returning. "Okay, so what about that lunch you promised me?" His grin broadened and he signaled a nearby waitress.
"Oh and by the way-" she said sweetly. "You are so treating me."
The bistro resounded with her ensuing laughter at his pouting face.
*
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Next chapter: Bra descends into the Fiery Pit (sorry about the corny name). I was going to include that scene in this chapter, but I guess I'll go for more short chapters.
Ja ne for now!
Nitte iz
*
Chapter 3: A Favor
*
"Bra!"
The joyful exclamation was the only warning the blue-haired girl got before she was swept into the man's arms. However, she merely smiled warmly at her captor who quickly pecked her on the cheek.
"It's nice to see you too," she chided him, hints of laughter tingeing her voice.
"So how's my favorite sister?" Trunks asked warmly as he got into the seat across from her, a bright grin on his face.
Bra returned the smile and murmured she was great. As she took a sip of her tea, she glanced at him through half-lidded eyes. Something was up. The effusive welcome, her being his 'favorite sister' even though she was really his only sister, the invite to lunch at the quaint bistro where they were at now. It was a nice place really, nice stone floors and stylish simple tables. However nice it was though, to eat lunch with her big brother here, it was quite out of the blue. Oh yes, her brother definitely wanted something.
"So Trunks, why'd you invite me here?"
So subtlety had never been her strong point. She had to smile rather feline-like when the man in question immediately became flustered. Bingo.
"What makes you think I want something?" he asked nervously. Oh sure, her brother was as suave and debonair as Don Juan with girls, but with blue- haired women that shared genes with him - he didn't have a prayer. Although, Bra mused, the Son women also seemed to be able to rattle Trunks. Especially ChiChi or Pan.
"Probably because you do," she answered coolly. The purple-haired man sighed, fiddling with his napkin.
"Okay, I do kinda want to ask you a favor," he rushed. "Well, it's more like for the family." Bra raised an eyebrow.
"For the family," she repeated. "Oh Dende Trunks, please tell me you didn't forget Mom's birthday again, because this time-"
"No!" he quickly interrupted. "I actually remembered this time." He paused, briefly considering how bad that sounded. He quickly changed tactics. "Do you have plans tonight?"
"Um, no. Tenshi has to work late tonight," Bra replied without taking her eyes off him. What was this all about?
"Oh, and how are you and Tenshi doing?" So innocent, her brother.
"We're doing fine, just like we've been doing for the last three years. And you're trying to avoid the subject - what favor?" Trunks sighed, resigning to the inevitable.
"I was wondering if you could, well would, go to the Fiery Pit."
"The fiery pit? Wow, that sounds appealing."
"It's a nightclub." Bra frowned.
"Let me get this straight, you want me to go to a nightclub? May I ask why?" Trunks closed his eyes.
"It's Goten's latest regular hangout."
The bluette froze. Goten? When was the last time she had seen him? It was hard to put her finger on a specific time - actually, it must've been her 16th birthday, two years ago. She still remembered gasping when she'd caught a glimpse of the metal sticking out of his eyebrow. Vaguely she had wondered how he had managed to pierce his half-Saiyan hide in the first place, but she had then got caught in his abyss eyes when he turned.
He had changed from the sweet goofball she had gotten to know when Trunks, Pan, and Goku were in space. And not in a good way. The happiness, that spark of irrepressible life that had lived in Goku and his eyes - it was gone and only blank emptiness remained.
*
////////////////////////////////
*"Goten, nice to see you." Her voice was tight with nervousness and her eyes flicked around to avoid his deadened gaze.
"I'm sure," his voice was silky with sarcasm. "Though I must admit it's more than a pleasure to see you all grown up."
Startled, her gaze jumped to his face. She had to shiver. The blackness of his eyes . . . it threatened to swallow her whole. His smirk curled into something more predatory and the dangerous glint in his eyes shone brighter. He took a step toward her and casually brushed a blue bang from her face. Her eyes widened, a deer-in-headlights look springing onto her face. Her breath caught.
"Goten!" The distant voice of her brother shattered the moment and just like that Goten was out of her personal space and moving away.
She took a deep breath, just realizing she had been denying herself air. Her heartbeat, loud and rapid, beat in her ears.
"Nice to see you too," his mocking voice floated from over his departing shoulder.*
/////////////////////////////
*
She had to suppress a shiver. Goten was definitely not at the top of her list of people she wanted to see. In fact, he was probably at the bottom.
"Please Bra," Trunks immediately began pleading. "He's been doing badly for a few years now-"
"Trunks! He's a grown man, he can look after himself." Her brother shook his lavender locks negatively.
"He's becoming self-destructive Bra. He won't listen to any of us anymore, not even Pan." The sheer desperation finally caused Bra to examine him.
"You're really worried, aren't you?"
"We all are, Mom, ChiChi, Videl, Krillian, Pan, even Dad has asked 'what is Kakarrot's blasted second brat up to?' Pan's becoming a basket case she's so worried."
"But what do you expect me to do? Pan's his niece for goodness sake!" Bra asked uneasily, running a hand through her hair.
"I just want you to try talking to him. You're the only one of us who's somewhat detached from his, well, issues with Goku. He might listen to you."
"Trun-"
"Please Bra, just try. I'm not asking for a miracle." It was the closest Trunks had ever come to begging his sister.
There was silence. She regarded her brother, considering. It really was horrible what Goten was doing to himself and she had to admit, she had missed him during these past few years. Before then, he had been like a second brother to her and then he had just - vanished.
"I'll go, but no promises," she added quickly. Trunks' taut face relaxed, his grin returning. "Okay, so what about that lunch you promised me?" His grin broadened and he signaled a nearby waitress.
"Oh and by the way-" she said sweetly. "You are so treating me."
The bistro resounded with her ensuing laughter at his pouting face.
*
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Next chapter: Bra descends into the Fiery Pit (sorry about the corny name). I was going to include that scene in this chapter, but I guess I'll go for more short chapters.
Ja ne for now!
Nitte iz